


Daddy’s Always A Better Place

by borntosik



Category: My Mad Fat Diary
Genre: F/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 11:23:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6702751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/borntosik/pseuds/borntosik
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah’s dad (Rae’s daughter) has come to Stamford in order to take her on holidays. Rae will have to say goodbye to her little Munchkin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Daddy’s Always A Better Place

She was still packing the last stuff her little Munchkin would need for the next weeks in Peterborough. Sarah, Rae's daughter, was leaving for the first Holiday weeks to the South to stay with her father. She couldn't see him very often because their parents were not together. But she lived with that very well. That's why Rae was putting the last dolls in Sarah's bag and packing her swimsuits and the new and nicest dress she bought her that morning. Linda went to Rae's room, keeping an eye on the suitcase. 

"Did you pack her socks? Don't forget them!"

"Yes mum, I did."

"And don't forget the jackets! You know weather in England is a bit unpredictable..."

"Yes mum, I already did that. Thank you."

Suddenly, Rae's Nokia 3310 was ringing at top volume from somewhere around the room. She put the bags on the floor, seizing it and reading she had a new message.

"Sorry for not answering the phone, I was in a meeting. I set off from here now. I'll arrive as soon as I can."

Rae threw the phone on the bed again and returned to what she was doing before reading the sms.

"Was that her father?"

Rae nodded, grabbing two jackets from the closet and putting it all inside the small suitcase. She closed it and sat over it, zipping it. She grabbed the luggage and Linda helped her to put everything in the car. Rae put herself her coat and zipped it too. After putting it all in the boot, she went to the driver's sit, giving her mother a smile. 

"I'll probably eat something with Finn, so don't wait for me for tea." Rae put the keys on the contact and turned the car on, saying her goodbyes to her mother.

"Give Sarah a big kiss and hug from me and Karim. Will you do that for us, pet?" Rae nodded for the second time that afternoon, giving the biggest smile to her mum.

"Alright, I'm off. I'll call you if I'm being late, yeah?"

Rae put her glasses on, leaving her house and driving through the old streets of Stamford. She had to drive for 15 minutes to get to Sarah's school. Rae made it clear she wanted her to go to a great school, and that meant going to the outskirts of the city, where the most expensive schools were. Oasis was a great solution to her boredom. A new album had come out some weeks ago and she had enjoyed it since then. Windows open, warm weather and Go Let It Out. When she finally arrived to the school doors, she waited. She took her phone in her hands. A new message.

"Let's meet in the cafe from the road, yeah? I'm half an hour from Stamford."

She answered with a simple "OK."

Five minutes after, some mothers were driving to the same spot she was. The time to leave school was coming. It could be heard euphoric screams from inside the closed door. Rae got out of the car, crossing her arms and waiting until her daughter's teacher came out. She could recognise other mothers like Luke's, Jeremy's, Anita's and Patrick's. They were in their 30s, compared to Rae's early 20s. The thing is Rae got pregnant in a young age, and she didn't think about abortion. When she found out she had no longer her period, she freaked out. She did a pregnancy test and it turned out to be positive. She remembered Chloe. How scared she was when she saw the doctor's results. She... she told Finn everything. And they thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to have the baby nine months after. Linda wasn't that happy about it, but didn't interfere in their decision. 

Rae learned how to avoid people's comments about her big belly, and her early motherhood, but the looks they gave her were something different. She cried most of the time (she wasn't sure if they were because of her hormones or because she couldn't stand the whole situation). Nine months after, Sarah was born. And after that, all Rae thought about was the baby's happiness. Finn taught her that. Finn was and is being an amazing daddy. She smiled remembering every memory of Daddy Finn she could while she was waiting outside the school. Sarah loved Finn the most. But not everything was so easy for him... and for her, as well.

"MOMMY!" Rae smiled widely, watching her most beautiful thing run after her. She pulled her in her arms and hold her, giving her a peck on her little lips.

"Hello my love. How are you?" Rae couldn't resist another kiss, so she did. Sarah was bringing something in her hands, and her mother asked: "What is this, sweetheart?"

Rae opened the back door and sat Sarah on her chair. Then, she put her the seatbelt while listening to her daughter's stories of the day.

"Mommy today we had to do a portrait about what we expect to do in our summer holidays."

"Oh, and what did you draw?" Sarah showed her the drawing. Rae took the paper, having a look.

On one hand, it was her. And Sarah. Holding hands. 

On the other hand, Sarah was holding Finn's hand. And how did she know that? Because Sarah wrote a big Mommy, Sarah and Daddy at the top of the paper. She smiled briefly, breathing out. 

"It's beautiful, love..." She gave the little one a kiss on her forehead and closed the door, going to her own seat and switching on the car again.

"Mommy!! Put the CD on!" Sarah said from beside her. 

"What? Now?"

"YEEEES!!"

Rae laughed a bit, grabbing the CD it was on the glove compartment and took her daughter's record. When she put it on, Bring It All Back sounded through the speakers.

"Don't tell your father about this, please, honey..."

"I won't, mommy!" The both laughed some more.

Rae's taste in music had changed a little bit since Sarah was born. Not because she developed worse taste in music while she was pregnant, but the little one had other preferences. And as her mother, she had nothing to say to her but love her choices. The only thing it mattered was that little secret... that little secret the girls had. Not tell her father what they usually listened, because Rae would lose every kind of respect.

"Don't stop, never give up, hold your head high and reach the top..." Started singing Sarah from the back seat.

"...Let the world see what you have got, bring it all back to you!" Ended Rae, singing at top volume with her daughter. 

That's what Rae and Sarah did the most. Listen and sing to crap songs (those are Rae thoughts) while driving to any place. Rae always thought it was shit to listen to some pop music like that, but the fun she had with her daughter was better than her ear-splitting.

"Try not to worry 'bout a thing, enjoy the good times life can bring..."

"Keep it all inside you, gotta let the feeling show..."

When they arrived to the road, she had to give a ride and find somewhere where she could park the car. After five minutes looking for it, she parked and turned off the car. She got rid of the seatbelt and opened the door, taking Sarah's afterwards. She let the smallest one slip from the car. 

"Mommy, give me Cindy!" Screamed Sarah.

Cindy was her small teddy bear. The first, and the one she remembers the most, teddy she received. It was given by Finn a few years ago.

The two girls walked through the no-crowded streets of Stamford until Rae saw the coffee shop where she was gonna meet with Sarah's father. They walked in, and Rae ordered Sarah to pick a table on a side where they had a window near them. Sarah ran the place, while Rae approached the bar.

"Hello. Good afternoon. What would you like to order?" Said the waitress.

"Hiya. I'd like to order some orange juice and a coffee, please."

"Will that be all?"

Rae took a glimpse to the big glass full of biscuits, cakes and pastries that were beside the bar. She pointed at a piece of chocolate cake and the croissants. 

"Could you put me a piece of that chocolate cake and a few croissants?"

"Of course. How many croissants would you like?"

"Have they chocolate or cream on the inside?"

"No. They're normal."

"Well, put me 4 of the small ones. That will be everything."

"It will be £8.60."

Rae gave her a tenner, and waited until she received the change. Then, she turned around, walking where her daughter was sitting. When the waitress came with everything Rae ordered, she put the cake and the orange juice in front of her daughter, giving her an extra serviette.

"Do you want any croissant, love?" Said Rae, offering her plate full of pastries.

"No." Said Sarah, starting eating her black cake. Rae smiled while looking at her. She grabbed the napkin, cleaning the side of her little mouth.

"You have to learn to do it on your own, Sarah..."

"Yeeees..." But she kept eating. She was a small Rae. Always eating whatever she found, although Rae was making sure the small one wasn't having the same old habits as she was used to. "Mommy, did you pack my Polly Pocket?"

"Yeeees..." The mother told in the same way as the daughter did seconds before. "It's everything in the car. I'll give it to your father later."

They ate all of their food, leaving the drinks for the end. Rae grabbed her coffee, taking a sip of it and watching her daughter dealing with the big glass. 

"Sarah, wait. I'm gonna bring you a straw..."

Rae asked for one and gave it to her daughter. It wasn't gonna be the first time she dropped her drinks all over her clothes and table because she wasn't being careful. 

"Listen, I packed some swimsuits... Some bird has told me you're gonna go swimming with your Dad." Rae winked at her daughter, watching how she started to freaking out and screaming about how excited she was.

"Does he live near the beach?"

"No. He lives in Peterborough, but he'll drive you to some lakes that are on the outskirts of it. Just make sure you don't tear them up. I bought them this morning for you." Sarah nodded. "Promise me."

"I promise." She kept quiet for a couple of minutes, drinking some of her orange juice. "And how is my father, mum?"

Rae licked her lips, thinking about him.

"He has the same hair colour as you... And his eyes are a bit darker than yours. A bit pale, though. I think we're a whole family of pale people, don't you think?"

The smallest smiled, nodding happily. 

"He's really nice when you get to know him. You will have fun. And I hope there is no trouble with his parents. It's a bit of a complicated family... But you'll be fine."

Rae smiled a bit at her daughter, catching a glimpse of someone outside the café. She tilted her chin, showing her daughter who was coming. He raised his head, staring at Rae and giving her a nod as a hello.

"Oh, he's here."

He came in, looking for the two younger ladies in the place. 

"C'mon Sarah, go and say hello..."

"PAPA!!" Sarah stood up, running through the place and jumping until her father took her in his big arms.

"Hello! How have you been? It's been a long time since you and I met, isn't it?" They hugged for an instance, and he walked until he was beside Rae. "Rae..." Said him in a hello mode.

"Liam..." Said her in the same way.

Yes. Exactly. Sarah was Liam's daughter. How did that happen? Well. Four years ago, Rae had a one-off with him. We all remember that. She felt depressed and the only thing that she wanted to do was to hurt herself, so she went after him. They had sex, yeah. But that wasn't the only thing that happened that night. After two months, Rae wasn't having her period back. She thought it was something related to her body issues from the past, so she went to see Dr. Nick. That's how she found she was expecting. 

"Do you want something for drink?"

"An Americano, please..."

Rae went to the bar, ordering what he wanted and came back to the table, watching how her daughter was playing with her father.

"How are things, here?" Said Liam, tasting the coffee when it got served.

"Everything's good. A bit crazy because of this little Munchkin, but good." Rae played with Sarah's nose, making the small one laugh.

"Right..." He drank some more, at the same time that squeezed Sarah in his arms. "I've heard you're working now. Did you quit from school?"

"Not really... I've got this job in the music shop where I used to buy my music, so I earn some money to spend in this little monster. And by the studying, I don't study anymore. Not that I complain. After giving birth, I had to take care of her with the help of my parents and Finn..." She shrugged her shoulders, pouting a little bit. "Anyway, I'm happy with it. Karim is earning a bit more, so we can afford a proper school for her, and nice clothes and take family trips on the weekends. I'm happy with that. What about you?"

Liam put his daughter on the chair beside him, letting her play with her teddy bear.

"I'm working in the hospital, actually. Kester moved in, and I'm helping there. I'm not totally recovered, but I'm not like before anymore. I'm better."

"I'm glad you are, Liam." He smiled briefly, watching his daughter still playing. "So, what's the plan?"

"The plan?"

"Yeah, what are you gonna do with Sarah? I wanna know the details. She's going to be away for 3 weeks... I must know." 

Liam smiled, looking at his daughter and told Rae everything in full detail.

"We're gonna have dinner with her grans. They already know she's coming, so they insisted on staying there tonight. We won't head to mine's until tomorrow morning. She will like it. Dad has been doing a wonderful garden and Mum has decorated with those little garden gnomes. I think she's been obsessed with The World of David the Gnome for quite a long time."

"Sarah loves those cartoons. Don't you, love?"

The little one nodded, playing again with her teddy.

"I don't really know the planning the rest of the Holidays, if I'm being honest. I was thinking maybe going to the cinema, going to a fun fair... Stuff like that."

"Are you gonna take her to the swimming pool? She has three swimsuits in her bag. And I bought her nice dresses this morning, so make sure she wears them."

"Of course."

"Well... I need to give you a list." Said Rae while she opened her bag and trying to find the long list she wrote that morning for her daughter.

"A list?"

"Yes." After a minute looking for it in the large bag full of cosmetics and sun glasses and purse and stuff that every girl has in her bag, she reached the list out. "Here you have all you need to know. What she eats, what she doesn't eat, my phone number, and my Mum's number too..."

"Don't worry, Rae. She'll be fine..."

"A very important thing: She can't eat walnuts. She's allergic. DON'T FORGET! I was dead worried last Christmas because she ate a few and we had to take her to the hospital an hour later. I almost die." She stared at Sarah fixedly, faking a small smile whilst remembering how bad she felt when the walnut accident happened. 

"No walnuts, then."

"Aaaaand. Sun cream. She needs it loads. Be careful when you take her to swim or anything like that. She needs a powerful sun cream so her skin won't be burnt. I've put a new tin in her luggage."

"No problem, mum."

"I'm gonna ask for something else. Do you want anything?"

Liam denied. Rae stood up, going to the bar and asking for another coffee and another orange juice for her daughter. She stayed until the waitress gave her the drinks and she approached the table and sat again, in front of Liam. He kept his eyes in her for two minutes, without saying anything.

"What?" Rae said, watching him in the same way.

"So... You work in a music shop..."

"Yes. That's what I said."

"I thought you spent most of the time with her..."

"Yes. That's what I did, until she became of age of going to school."

"Oh, so now you work full time, don't you?"

"No."

"Then?"

"What's the point of all this? What do you want to know, Liam?"

"I was just asking..."

"Asking because you wanted to know something..."

Liam smiled with a sufficient smile.

"Do you want me to give you money? For some school and clothes payments, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. I don't need your money."

"You don't earn the enough money..."

"You don't know my salary, Liam. So don't tell me I don't have enough money when I can pay for everything she has or needs. Don't worry that much..."

Rae drank half of her coffee, now that it wasn't as hot as it was before. 

"I'm writing. I'm a writer now."

"What do you mean?"

"Kester gave me the idea. I left school and I was at home, taking care of the munchkin and well, my diary was somewhere in my bedroom. He thought it would be a good idea to rewrite it for therapy. And I did it. He asked me if he could read it, and I said yes, because I was better. I thought I didn't need it anymore. It wasn't as private as it used to be. So, why not? He said it was really good." She drank some of her coffee, making her throat wet again. "Do you remember the woman from therapy? The oldest one? She's a publisher in real life. Kester thought it would be a good idea if I showed it to her. And that's what I did. Now a publishing house has bought my idea. They want me to rewrite my diary so they can publish it... Maybe it can help some girls out there with the same problems I had in the past."

"That's... cool... I guess." Rae nodded.

Liam and Rae kept talking for a few more minutes about the whole idea of the book and some stories about him living in Peterborough, when Sarah put her hands on the big glass of the shop, knocking it with her palms and giggling. Rae, when she heard the sound of it, turned her head, telling her daughter off for doing such a thing, but her face changed when she found a nice bloke mimicking ugly faces with her daughter. She smiled instantly. Liam didn't say anything, watching carefully the whole situation. 

"MOMMY! DADDY'S HERE!!" She screamed, making all the people in the place turn their gazes to her.

Sarah stood up and ran through the shop, opening the main door of the establishment until she was in front of him. Finn opened his arms, waiting for her to jump over him. Rae smiled fondly, staring at them both. 

"So, Finn and you are still together?"

But Rae couldn't hear him. The only sound she could hear was the amount of giggles and wet kisses they were giving to each other. Sarah was ferociously held to Finn's neck, as if someone could steal him from her. She always did that. It was her most precious treasure. 

Finn was not her father by blood, but he was sentimentally. He was fond of that pretty little girl. He was there when she was growing up in her belly's mum. He was there when Linda called him to work, saying Rae had broken waters. He was there, holding Rae's hand, while she was giving birth to her child. He was the first one holding her, staring at her as if she was the most fragile thing in the world. He saw her first steps. And it was him who taught her biking her tricycle.

The couple thought it was Finn's, until Rae had the appointment with Dr. Nick. Rae hadn't had her period for weeks and she started to worry. Not because she could be pregnant, but for other body issues she had in the past. Her doctor told them she was pregnant, for more weeks than it should be. Rae almost broke up with him again that night, but he told her he didn't care if the baby wasn't his - in a biological way - He would always be the father, unless Rae didn't want to.

Rae called Liam days later, explaining her situation. She didn't want anything about him, although she had to tell him everything. He wasn't gonna be the father's baby, but after months of waiting, Liam insisted he wanted to know his baby. Rae specified Finn was the only father, and he had to respect that. He could see the baby a few times a year, but not more. It wasn't his baby.

After months of discussing the terms, the three of them arranged Sarah could spend some time with her other father. But it had to be planned, two months before she had to leave. It was a fair situation, so that's why Sarah's leaving today. At least, Rae and Finn will have time for themselves (Something they hadn’t had for quite a long time).

Finn came in, holding his daughter strongly against his arms. She was telling him what she had been doing all day in school. 

"We did a drawing today!"

"And what did you draw?"

"Me, you and mommy." She said smiling widely, showing her not-perfect teeth. 

"You have to show me."

Finn walked until he was in front of the pair. He smiled at Rae, not bothering about Liam, and bent to give his girlfriend a kiss on her lips. She smiled against his lips, pecking them a couple of times, briefly. 

"Hi."

"Hiya." Rae said when Finn stood back, grabbing a chair from the table behind. He put it in by her side and sat with the small one in his lap.

"Liam..."

"How you doing, Finn?"

"Alright..."

"Rae was telling me she's working at home, now..."

"Yes. She's doing a great job." He bent over again and gave her a kiss on her cheek. 

"Yes, and I've heard you're working with... with that friend of yours. The rich one."

"Chop..."

They talked for a few more minutes while Finn and Sarah were playing with a piece of paper he found in his pocket. He was teaching her how to do a small paper cube. It was a simple thing, but for a child it was a massive challenge. At the same time, Liam was taking a look at his watch, telling them they had to leave because it was late.

"We should leave by now. I have to drive for almost an hour and mum's inviting us for tea, so..."

Rae understood. It was time to say goodbye.

They paid for the things that hadn't been paid and left the place. Rae took her daughter's hand, walking her until they reached her car. Rae set Sarah's hand free and opened the boot. Finn helped her with the bags and suitcases and Liam grabbed them. His car wasn't that far and the bags were not as heavy as it looked like, so he carried it all himself. Rae hold her daughter's hand again, letting Finn the chance to hold her other hand. They walked around two streets, holding hands and talking about how excited the little one was. Liam put everything on the back of the car, waiting for the family to say their goodbyes to one another.

"We'll be here in three weeks. We can meet up in the same café if you fancy it."

Finn nodded, staring at Rae who squatted down in front of her daughter. She put her jacket perfectly, fastening the zip up and cleaning her trousers, a bit dirty because of school. She gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, feeling how a tear was gonna fall from the corner of her right eye.

"Be a good girl, yeah? I don't want any phone calls telling me how stubborn you are. Be careful. Look both sides on the street, and be careful with the corners so you can't rip your clothes. More important: the sun cream. Make sure Liam puts it in you so you won't get burnt. And be nice to people, okay?" She kept cleaning her jacket in a way for not letting her go. "I will miss you..." She said in a quite tone, not wanting Finn or Liam to know.

"I will miss you too, mommy..." Sarah gave her mother a big hug, making Rae laugh a bit. They hugged for a few seconds, and the mother took advantage and gave her a last peck on her lips. 

"I love you." Rae whispered.

Finn knelt down too, giving his daughter his biggest hug and squashing her in his arms. "Don't get any mischief, baby girl..." He started giving her loads of kisses in every part of her face, making her scream because of the bugging. 

"Daddy, you're poking me!!" She said in a high-pitched way. Finn's cheeks were prickly because of his beard. He hadn’t shaved off for a few days.

He insisted and kissed her a few more times in her cheeks, giving her finally a peck on her small and rosy lips. He squeezed her for the last time and helped her to get in the car, putting her the seatbelt across her little body. "I'll miss you, sweetheart." He gave her a kiss on her forehead, smiling widely at her.

"I'll miss you Daddy. And Mommy too."

Liam went to the driver's seat, putting the seatbelt himself and opening the window.

"I'll call you when we arrive."

Rae nodded, intertwining her arm with Finn's. She rested her chin against his shoulder, waving her daughter a goodbye with her hand, smiling widely whilst Liam switched on the car and started driving. She kept staring at the boot until she couldn't see the car anymore. 

"She'll be fine, Rae..."

"I don't know..."

"It's her father..."

"You are her father..."

"You know what I mean... C'mon, I'll buy you a tea, yeah? You know tea makes everything alright." He said while interlacing his fingers with hers. He raised her hand and gave her a kiss on the back of her hand, walking her towards the coffee shop again.


End file.
